Selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, Jack Eichel entered the League having experienced plenty of success at a young age.

In 2014, he helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2014 World Under-18 Championship with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games, then competed as a 17-year-old at the World Junior Championship as the youngest player for the United States.

The following season he played for Boston University, where he led all Division I players with 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists) and a plus-51 rating in 40 games. Eichel helped lead BU to the national championship game, where it lost 4-3 to Providence College.

Following the season, he won the Tim Taylor Award, player judged to be the most outstanding freshman, was named the Hockey East Rookie and Player of the Year, and was also named to the NCAA East First All-American Team.

On April 10, 2015, Eichel became the second freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award, voted the top men's player in NCAA ice hockey, joining Hockey Hall of Fame forward Paul Kariya, who won it with Maine in 1993.

That season, Eichel was also named captain for the United States at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he had four points (one goal, three assists) in five games. He capped his busy season by skating for the United States the World Championship, winning the bronze medal and ranking third on the team with seven points (two goals, five assists) in 10 games.

Jumping straight into the NHL with the Sabres the following season, Eichel immediately showed his talent, scoring Buffalo's lone goal in his NHL debut, a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 8, 2015. He finished the season with 56 points, including a team-high 24 goals, in 81 games and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

Eichel scored 24 and 25 goals in his next two seasons despite being hampered by injuries, but the Sabres showed their faith in the then 21-year-old center by naming him captain on Oct. 3, 2018, exactly one year after agreeing to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension with Buffalo.

Eichel rewarded that faith by scoring 82 points (28 goals, 54 assists) in 77 games that season, but he was even better in 2019-20. He had 78 points (36 goals, 42 assists) in 68 games, the fourth straight season he led Buffalo in points, before the season was paused on March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. As a result, he was named an all-star for the third straight season.

He was limited to 21 games in the 2020-21 season because of a neck injury, and was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 4, 2021.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• Hockey East All-Rookie Team (2015)
• Hockey East First All-Star Team (2015)
• Hockey East Rookie of the Year (2015)
• Hockey East Player of the Year (2015)
• NCAA East First All-American Team (2015)
• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (2015)
• Hobey Baker Memorial Award (Top U.S. Collegiate Player) (2015)
• NHL All-Rookie Team (2016)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Traded to Vegas by Buffalo with a 3rd-round pick in 2023 or 2024 NHL Draft for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a 1st-round pick in 2022 or 2023 and a 2nd-round pick in 2023 or 2024, November 4, 2021.